Page 4477 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 18 October 2011
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Dr Pete was Winnunga’s longest-serving staff member. His medical colleagues have lost a model and a mentor, and the broader Winnunga family has lost a champion. My condolences go to the Chief Executive Officer, Ms Julie Tongs, Board Chair Judy Harris, and other board members and staff—as I said, many of whom have joined us here this morning.
Many of Dr Pete’s patients will also be grieving. There are those who owe their quality of life—and in some cases their lives—to Dr Pete’s care. There are many others who will simply know they have lost a doctor who combined clinical excellence with great compassion, and who took a personal interest in everyone who turned to him for help.
Today I would like to announce that the government will provide $50,000 per annum for Dr Pete Sharp scholarships at the ANU Medical School. The medical school teaches Indigenous health to all medical students, but the Indigenous health stream will provide an expanded curriculum on Indigenous health, with opportunities to undertake targeted research and clinical placements, working towards expanded clinical placement in Indigenous health settings. The vision of the Indigenous health stream is to prepare a medical workforce skilled in delivering Indigenous health, with the aim of contributing towards closing the gap between the health of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The scholarships will support students participating in the Indigenous health stream of the medical school, and, given the lifelong commitment of Dr Pete to Indigenous health, I believe this is one way to seek to continue the wonderful work that he had started.
I was very fortunate to attend the memorial service for Dr Pete on 23 September at Boomanulla Oval, where hundreds of people gathered out of respect for a wonderful man. And can I say what a lovely service it was. I had the privilege of being asked to address this service to acknowledge and record the ACT community’s thanks for the work and commitment Dr Pete provided to so many over so many years.
It was a very lovely service. It was a windy day, and one thing that touched me was the amount of people who came and sat at the oval to listen and, for those who could not listen, who just sat there in silence to pay their respects to a wonderful man.
Dr Peter Sharp made a real and lasting difference to his community, and most particularly to the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the national capital. He was a good man doing great work. He was a leader in our community and he will be dearly missed.
MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition): I also rise to pay tribute to and to speak of Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Services Medical Director Dr Peter Sharp, to pay respect to the achievements of his life and to express our regret at his passing.
I did not know Dr Sharp personally but do know of the significant contribution he made towards improving the health and wellbeing of many Indigenous people here in Canberra during his 22 years of service to Winnunga.
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